 | Sharon Miklos owns Stress Busters Massage Therapy Group, located at 1747 Osage, Suite A (SW corner of Rock Rd and Osage) in Derby. Sharon has been a Massage Therapist in the Derby, Wichita and surrounding communities for the last twenty years.Sharon began her massage therapy training in 1990 her continues to train and develop her skills in a wide variety of modalities. In 1992 Sharon joined the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the largest professional massage organization in the United States. Since 1994 Sharon has served on the Kansas Chapter AMTA Board of Directors. She has served her state chapter and professional association by holding the following offices and positions: Chapter President; Education Director, Newsletter Editor: Regional Four State Convention Planner: Massage Emergency Response Team Chair; Nominations Chair; Delegate to the National Convention (twice); Chairperson for Chapter Special Projects. You can contact Sharon by calling (316) 393 – 6274, direct e-mails to sharon@stressbustersmtg.com or you may visit Stress Busters Massage Therapy Group website at www.stressbustersmtg.com. |
Health & Wellness
2010-04-01 13:08:00
Picking the right massage therapist
Question: How do you pick a Massage Therapist?
Answer: To answer that question I must first share with you a basic definition for massage, massage therapist and modality.
Massage: Is the application of touch by a properly trained individual, who uses kneading, friction, vibration, tapotement, compression and other manual techniques to achieve results including but not limited to relaxation, pain relief, injury rehabilitation and health improvements.
Massage Therapist: Is an individual who has received proper training in the philosophy, application and practice of massage.
Modality: Style of massage (e.g. Swedish, Orthopedic, Pregnancy).
Now that you have these simply definitions, the following questions are a good place to begin when you are looking for a Massage Therapist.
1.) Where do I look for a Massage Therapist? Start looking in the places you are comfortable. Talk to your family members, your friends, people you work with or fellow attendees of your church. The reason to start looking for your Massage Therapist in these places is so you can also ask questions of the person who gives you a name and hopefully a telephone number. You are getting a personal reference.
2.) What kind of massage do you want or need? If you want a relaxation massage simply tell the Massage Therapist. If you are interested in a specific modality of massage (e.g. Myofascial Release) ask the therapist if they are train in that particular style.
If you are recovering from an injury, under a doctor’s care or in a training program tell the Massage Therapist you decide to interview. Ask the Massage Therapist if they have training or specialize training in the area of your health issue or problem area. Do not be afraid to inquire about the training of the Massage Therapist.
3.) What is training of the Massage Therapist? How to I check the Massage Therapist’s training? Ask the person you are thinking of making a massage appointment with about their schooling. Where did they go to school? What were the requirements of the schools massage program? (Please know that the schooling requirements of massage therapy vary from state to state. In Kansas, the state requires a minimal of 500 hours of education in an approved massage program. Some massage school programs offer or require more than the 500 hours minimum.) You can call the different state approved massage schools in your area to check what their education programs offer and if the person you are thinking of going to is a graduate of their program.
Also ask the Massage Therapist if they are a member of a professional massage association? Ask the Therapist how to get a hold of their professional association. Feel free to call the massage association and make inquiries.
4.) Is the location convenient to you or will the therapist come on-site to your location? If for health reasons, you need the Massage Therapist to come to your location, you need to explicitly discuss this fact with the Therapist. If you are traveling to the massage office make sure you know where it is located before the appointment. Is the office in an area that is well light if you have an evening appointment?
5.) What is the cost for the length of time for the different massage modalities? Be sure to ask for a breakdown of costs. An hour Swedish massage is going to be priced differently than a hour Pregnancy massage. Make inquiries about the hours the Massage Therapist schedules appointments. Does the office take credit cards and if so which cards? Do not forget to learn what the office policy is if the need arises and you have to cancel.
Also ask if you are a regular client if the office has a discount policy. Please note if a Massage Therapist has specialized training in a particular modality they could charge more for an appointment in that method.
The above questions are intended to be a general guideline to help you begin your search for a Massage Therapist. Ask any question you would like answered. Pick a massage therapist then schedule an appointment to fit your schedule. Enjoy your massage.
